The Volcanoes of Lewis and ClarkOctober 23, 1805
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-- The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark Map of the Journey -- Volcanoes, Basalt Plateaus, Major Rivers, etc. CALENDAR of the Journey -- October 1805 to June 1806 Along the Journey -- Pacific Northwest Maps - Columbia River, Volcanoes, Flood Basalts, Missoula Floods, Geology, etc. The Corps of Discovery -- The Journey of Lewis and Clark About the Reference Materials -- The Journals, Biddle/Allen, DeVoto, Gass, Moulton, Topo Maps, and others USGS Lewis and Clark Links -- Links to USGS Websites highlighting the Lewis and Clark Journey Resources Publications Referenced and Websites Visited |
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October 22 "Great Falls of the Columbia" Deschutes to Celilo |
October 23
"Great Falls of the Columbia" The Portage Continues "Great Falls of the Columbia", Celilo Falls and Celilo Canal |
CONTINUE
October 24 The Dalles, "Short Narrows" |
| On October 7, 1805, Lewis and Clark and the "Corps of Discovery" began their journey down the Clearwater River and into the volcanics of the Pacific Northwest. The Corps travelled from the Clearwater to the Snake and down the "Great Columbia", finally reaching the Pacific Ocean on November 15, 1805. Along the journey they encountered the lava flows of the Columbia Plateau, river channels carved by the great "Missoula Floods", and the awesome beauty of five Cascade Range volcanoes. |
| The Volcanoes of Lewis and Clark |
| To the Pacific - October 1805 |
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"Great Falls of the Columbia" The Portage Continues |
| Lewis and Clark's camp of October 22 and 23, 1805, was on the Washington side of the Columbia River, downstream of Wishram, Washington, and across from Oregon's Celilo Park. |
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Celilo Falls - "Great Falls of the Columbia":
Celilo Falls - "Great Falls of the Columbia": The "Great Falls of the Columbia" was first recorded by Euro-Americans with the Lewis and Clark expedition. The river cut into basalt rock to create a constriction of the river with a twenty-foot falls followed by a mile of narrow, channeled rapids with a drop of eight feet in river elevation. The Lewis and Clark expedition arrived at the Great Falls of the Columbia in late October, 1805. They were forced to portage around these rapids to continue on downriver, and again on their return upriver in the following spring. These falls were also known as Celilo Falls. They were drowned in 1957 with the construction of The Dalles Dam. To view this area: On the Washington side, view from the Celilo Falls Overlook, above Wishram, on U.S. 14. On the Oregon side, interpretive signs at Celilo Park, Oregon. -- Washington State University Library Collections Website, 2002, Washington State Historical Society Website, 2002, and Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in Oregon Website, 2002 
Celilo Canal:
Celilo Canal: Prior to 1863, boats operating on the upper river above Celilo and those coming upriver to The Dalles were linked by a wagon-road portage in order to avoid the treacherous rapids. In 1863, the Oregon Steam Navigation Company completed a 13-mile iron-railed portage line along what had been known as Thompson's Portage, between The Dalles and Celilo on the Oregon shore. The Dalles - Celilo railroad and connecting river steamers operated regularly for a number of years. In October 1905, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work on The Dalles - Celilo Canal, one of the most significant early projects of the Corps' Portland District. The 8 1/2-mile-long canal consisted of five locks, each with an eight-foot lift. The Corps completed and officially opened the canal on May 5, 1915. This canal provided passage around Celilo Falls and the Long Narrows until The Dalles Dam replaced it in 1957. The filling of the reservoir behind The Dalles Dam in March 1957 inundated the canal, ending its 40-year history. Traffic now pass through the navigation lock on the Washington shore of the Project. -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Website, 2002, and Center for Columbia River History Website, 2002 |
| Having ascertained from the Indians, and by actual examination, the best mode of bringing down the canoes, it was found necessary, as the river was divided into several narrow channels, by rocks and islands, to follow the route adopted by the Indians themselves. This operation captain Clarke began this morning, and after crossing to the other side of the river, hauled the canoes over a point of land, so as to avoid a perpendicular fall of twenty feet. At the distance of four hundred and fifty-seven yards we reached the water, and embarked at a place where a long rocky island [???] compresses the channel of the river within the space of a hundred and fifty yards, so as to form nearly a semicircle. On leaving this rocky island [???] the channel is somewhat wider, but a second and much larger island [???] of hard black rock, still divides it from the main stream, while on the left shore it is closely bordered by perpendicular rocks. Having descended in this way for a mile, we reached a pitch of the river, which being divided by two large rocks, descends with great rapidity down a fall eight feet in height: as the boats could not be navigated down this steep descent, we were obliged to land and let them down as slowly as possible by strong ropes of elk skin, which we had prepared for the purpose. They all passed in safety except one, which being loosed by the breaking of the ropes, was driven down, but was recovered by the Indians below. |
| "... a fine morning, I with the greater part of the men Crossed in the Canoes to opposit Side above the falls and hauled them across the portage of 457 yards which is on the Lard. Side and certainly the best side to pass the canoes I then decended through a narrow chanel of about 150 yards wide forming a kind of half circle in it course of a mile to a pitch of 8 feet in which the chanel is divided by 2 large rocks at this place we were obliged to let the Canoes down by Strong ropes I accomplished this necessary business and landed Safe with all the Canoes at our Camp below the falls by 3 oClock P.M. ... The Altitude of this day 66o 27' 30" gave for Latd. 45o 42' 57 3/10 N. ..." [Clark, October 23, 1805] |
| "... A pleasant day. At 9 o'clock in the forenoon all hands, but three left to keep camp, went up and took the canoes over to the south side; as the natives said that was the best side of the river to take them down. Here we had to drag them 450 yards round the first pitch which is 20 feet perpendicular. We then put them into the water and let them down the rest of the way by cords. The whole height of the falls is 37 feet 8 inches, in a distance of 1200 yards. In the evening we got all our canoes safe down to encampment on the north side. ..." [Gass, October 23, 1805] |
| With this rapid ends the first pitch of the great falls [Celilo Falls], which is not great in point of height, and remarkable only for the singular manner in which the rocks have divided its channel. From the marks every where perceivable at the falls, it is obvious that in high floods, which must be in the spring, the water below the falls rises nearly to a level with that above them. Of this rise, which is occasioned by some obstructions which we do not as yet know, the salmon must avail themselves to pass up the river in such multitudes, that that fish is almost the only one caught in great abundance above the falls; but below that place, we observe the salmon trout, and the heads of a species of trout smaller than the salmon trout, which is in great quantities, and which they are now burying to be used as their winter food. ...... |
| "... The country on both sides of the river here is high, and the bluffs rocky. Captain Lewis had an observation, which made the latitude of this place 45o 42 57. 3. ... The high water mark below the falls is 48 feet, and above only 10 feet four inches from the surface of the water: so that in high water there is nothing but a rapid, and the salmon can pass up without difficulty. The reason of this rise in the water below the falls is, that for three miles down, the river is so confined by rocks (being not more than 70 yards wide) that it cannot discharge the water, as fast as it comes over the falls, until what is deficient in breadth is made up in depth. About the great pitch the appearance of the place is terrifying, with vast rocks, and the river below the pitch, foaming through different channels. ..." [Gass, October 23, 1805] |
| "... The Latitude at this place which is called the grand falls of the Columbia River as taken by Capt. Lewis is 45o 42' 57.3' North. the hight of the particular falls in all is 37 feet eight Inches, and has a large rock Island in the midst of them and look Shocking the water divided in several channels by the rocks ..." [Ordway, October 23, 1805] |
| About three o'clock we reached the lower camp, but our joy at having accomplished this object was somewhat diminished, by the perscution of a new acquaintance. On reaching the upper point of the portage, we found that the Indians had been encamped there not long since, and had left behind them multitudes of fleas. These sagacious animals were so pleased to exchange the straw and fish skins, in which they had been living, for some better residence, that we were soon covered with them, and during the portage the men were obliged to strip to the skin, in order to brush them from their bodies. They were not, however, so easily dislodged from our clothes, and accompanied us in great numbers to our camp. ...... |
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The Camp - October 22 and 23, 1805:
Downstream of Wishram, Washington, across from Oregon's Celilo Park. |
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